[WWF Online Petition] Thank Vietnamese officials for protecting the rare saola.

Thank Vietnamese officials and citizens who took the first steps to protect the critically endangered saola and urge them to continue their efforts to ensure that this imperilled species survives.

Two Vietnamese provinces recently signed commitments to conserve the saola, a rare animal discovered just 15 years ago by a team of scientists from WWF and the Vietnamese Ministry of Forestry. It was the first large mammal discovered anywhere in the world since 1936 and scientists are still trying to figure out whether it is a goat, antelope or cow species. Only 11 saola have ever been recorded alive by scientists and fewer than 250 are estimated to exist today.

Say thank you to the officials and citizens who have worked so hard to establish initial protection measures for the saola and its threatened tropical forest habitat.

In partial fulfilment of the provinces’ commitments, two new reserves for the saola have been declared. The reserves are adjacent and connect to an area that was recently added to Bach Ma National Park. The benefits of these new protected areas will extend far beyond saola conservation. They will also provide almost continuous protected area coverage from the South China Sea to a protected area across the border in Laos.

The saola is threatened with extinction primarily due to hunting, which remains common throughout its range. Its survival will require the establishment of further reserves, the halting of illegal trapping, the control of illegal wildlife trade, and support for local communities in developing alternative livelihood options.

Take action
Sign the petition and urge Vietnamese officials to continue their critical efforts to ensure that the saola survives.

WWF is working closely with government officials on saola conservation and has honoured the Forest Protection departments of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces, as well as Bach Ma National Park, with a “Leaders for a Living Planet” award.

Working together, we can ensure that our children inherit a world that is home to amazing creatures such as the saola.